Game localizers: what are your favorite types of text to work with?

Dmitry

Howdy fellow video game localizers!

What I love the most about video game localization is the sheer variety it offers. And I'm not just talking about the variety of genres and settings, but also the variety of texts that we might work on.

We got marketing texts for Steam, PS4, Xbox One, etc. We got marketing copy for web and email and then, of course, we have a whole bunch of in-game texts from UI to item/weapon descriptions and character dialogues.

The most fun, imho, is that each type requires a different approach and different style. So my question to you: what are your favorite types of texts to work with when you're localizing a video game?

Personally, I LOVE working on character banter/dialogues. They're super challenging because very often you need a lot of context information to translate it right, but they're also challenging because you're essentially giving life to this characters in your language, so you have to carefully weigh your linguistic choices to make sure you really nail that character's personality through their dialogues and how they interact with one another.

This what makes my job so exciting. What about you? Share your favorite bits and stories bellow (just remember to click Login with WordPress if you're posing on this forum for the first time AND have an Open Mic account, OR signup for a free forum account via Facebook or Twitter or email).

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

Marianna

I wish I had anything more sophisticated to say, but the truth is I am all about the narrative. Localizing witty dialogues, making up puns and rhymes, inventing accents, st-st-stuttering, and finding the right voice for each character is so much fun!

Dmitry

Marianna Ah, puns and word play! They’re easily the worst and the best part, haha